Drew Sharp: Lions won't change, so fans need to

7:02 PM, January 5, 2013

A Detroit Lions fan, with a paper bag on his head, gets help drinking a beverage during the second half in an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday Dec. 16, 2012, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals defeated the Lions 38-10. / Ross D. Franklin/AP

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There's an inner peace when you're no longer emotionally invested in whether they succeed or fail. There's no longer any rooting for or against them, merely a comfortable acceptance that the franchise will remain more star-crossed than star-driven whatever the honorable intentions of those calling the shots.

Of course, I'm entering my third decade of recovery.

I knew I had to make some serious changes when I broke my television in my college apartment in 1981 when I threw a shoe in disgust after the Lions lost the regular-season finale to Tampa Bay in what's now clinically referred to as "classic Lions fashion."

That was the year when a young unknown named Eric Hipple became the newest quarterbacking savior, storming to the rescue during a Monday night victory over Chicago. It was the year of "Dome Sweet Dome." The Lions were unbeaten at home and needed a victory over the Bucs to win the NFC Central for their first playoff appearance since 1970.

It was a mortal lock. Victory seemed assured late in the fourth quarter when Hipple found Freddie Scott in the back of the end zone. But the ball inexplicably skipped off the normally sure-fingered Scott and fell into the waiting lap of a defensive back -- who was on the Silverdome turf at the time.

Game over.

Playoffs missed.

Television busted.

Bottom hit.

Recovery started.

Consider today's column as therapy. I'm the other "Dr. Drew."

The Lions' 4-12 implosion in 2012 left more scars than 0-16. There's more outward anger expressed now than four years ago when the Lions defied league logic and proved that -- despite all legislated efforts to promote parity -- they could still lose every game in a season. Conning yourself into believing that something's real only to have it exposed as fraudulent takes a greater emotional toll than having history validate the utter wretchedness of a team that most already had agreed was horrid.

There's more impassioned ire this season than 0-16 because there was more hope. The Lions and optimism are as naturally combustible as President Barack Obama delivering the keynote address at the next Tea Party convention. There's outrage that there are -- as of right now anyway -- no serious coaching or front-office casualties. The only assistant coaches departing are those who weren't under contract beyond this season.

Such indignation addresses the principal problem with Lions fans. They think they're victims. They think they're owed something for their decades of faithful loyalty, when they really aren't. They're certain that after absorbing so many kicks to the gut over time another new day somehow will magically end the emotional torment. But common sense should tell you that if you've complained for 50 years about negative behavior, it's unlikely that positive change is quickly coming solely because you want it.

The Lions become more bearable, even more enjoyable once you've emotionally divorced yourself from them. It's not apathy as much as it is self-empowerment. You're no longer letting them destroy your mood -- or your television -- because they took what initially seemed like a certainty and dropped it directly into the cesspool.